With the inauguration of the Navy's icebreaker Almirante Viel, which concentrates important scientific research capabilities, and the proposal to create an institute at the Universidad de Concepción that will bring together centers that develop research related to the oceans, Biobío is emerging as the region called to reveal the mysteries of the sea and its depths.
A large delegation of researchers and authorities from the Universidad de Concepción (UdeC) toured the facilities of the new icebreaker AGB-46 Almirante Viel, which was delivered to the Chilean Navy this month, fully designed and built at the Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada (Asmar) plant in Talcahuano.
This ship, a milestone in naval construction in the southern hemisphere, promises to revolutionize scientific research in Antarctica and strengthen the country's logistical capabilities in the region. Its design seeks to meet the most extreme challenges of the Southern Ocean.
It has an Ice Class PC5 classification, can operate in temperatures of up to -30°C and break ice up to one meter thick. It has a displacement capacity of 10,000 tons, a range of 14 thousand nautical miles, modern maritime sensors and a navigation autonomy of 60 days, and can accommodate up to thirty researchers simultaneously, making it an ideal platform for long missions in Antarctica.
The delegation that toured the ship was headed by the Rector of the University of Concepción, Dr. Carlos Saavedra Rubilar, the Vice-Rector of Research and Development (VRID), Dr. Andrea Rodríguez Tastets, the Dean of Natural and Oceanographic Sciences, Dr. Margarita Marchant San Martín, and the Dean of Engineering, Dr. Pablo Catalán Martínez. The Director of Innovation and Development, Dr. Jorge Carpinelli Pavicich, and the Director of Research and Artistic Creation, Dr. Ronald Mennickent Cid, were also part of the group.
In addition, representatives from different departments of the University and related entities participated in the visit, covering various academic disciplines. Among them were members of the Departments of Electrical Engineering, Geophysics, Oceanography and Zoology; the Antarctic Sciences Program (PCAS); the Laboratory of Coastal Ecosystems and Global Environmental Change (ECCA Lab); the Center for Industry 4.0; and the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO) of the University of Concepción.
The Rector of the UdeC, Dr. Carlos Saavedra Rubilar, praised the initiative and the work carried out by Asmar in the construction of the ship. “This icebreaker not only represents a significant technological advance, but also an exceptional opportunity for our researchers in oceanic and Antarctic issues, areas in which our University contributes in a highly outstanding way,” he said.
For her part, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Andrea Rodríguez Tastets, emphasized the relevance of this platform and the great interest of the University in accessing the ship's services.
"It will allow us to explore difficult-to-reach areas and generate collaborative links with other entities, addressing complex and strategic issues for the country," she said.
Captain Juan Pablo Enríquez Olavarría, first commander of the Almirante Viel, guided the tour, presenting the ship's capabilities and spaces. On this occasion, he emphasized the scientific objective of the icebreaker and the institution's drive for research in the southern seas.
"This ship was designed to enhance scientific capacity, mainly in the Antarctic area, and represents a fundamental alliance between the Navy and research institutions. The area is of high scientific and geopolitical interest and, of course, Chile as a country needs to be present in that area," he said.
UdeC brings together a prominent conglomerate for ocean research
In parallel with the final phase of preparation for the first mission of the Icebreaker Almirante Viel, the University of Concepción is advancing on a proposal that will allow the various oceanographic research initiatives, for which the University is responsible or participates, to be brought together in a synergistic manner.
This is the creation of a research and technology institute, whose objectives are aimed precisely at the exploration and advanced research of the oceans, as well as cutting-edge technology for the oceans. To this end, it will coordinate existing research efforts and promote new projects in collaboration with national centers of excellence already established at the UdeC, such as the Copas Coastal Ocean Research Center, the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO), the Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (Incar), the Center for Dynamic Research of High Latitude Marine Ecosystems (Ideal), the Millennium Institute for Coastal Socio-Ecology (Secos), the Center for Climate Science and Resilience (CR2) and the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE).
According to the Vice-Rector for Research and Development, Dr. Andrea Rodríguez, the motivation for creating the Institute “is to integrate and create synergy of the existing capabilities at UdeC that position us nationally and internationally for advanced research, exploration, technological development and innovation based on science for a better understanding and sustainability of the oceans.”
Among the challenges, the Vice-Rector VRID mentioned national and international articulation, “showing that this structure is not the sum of isolated groups, but rather adds value to what can be achieved as individual groups, in addition to the interdisciplinary approach and the acquisition of resources to obtain financing in a high-cost research area.”
The UdeC academic and Director of the IMO, Dr. Osvaldo Ulloa, stated that the creation of this center will give a “boost to the development and implementation of new technologies and to interdisciplinary exploration; for example, in topics related to the deep ocean.”
“This institute will contribute to generating synergy —not only of the centers, but of the different research groups within the UdeC—; to promote technological development —so necessary to be at the forefront of oceanic research and the solution of environmental problems—; to project the work at a national and international level on a common front; and finally to be a catalyst for new actors and initiatives, especially interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary ones,” he highlighted.
Equipped with advanced laboratories for macro and microbiological studies, the ship “Almirante Viel” has refrigeration systems for samples and sensor information processing rooms, it also has an integrated system of acoustic sensors for underwater mapping up to 11 thousand meters deep, and technology for fisheries research and biomass measurement. It also has an acoustic positioning system for tracking underwater devices and a platform for flight operations, including a heliport, which will allow Chilean and world scientists to carry out fundamental studies in areas such as oceanography, marine biology and climatology.
Characteristics highlighted by those who carry out frontier science on the oceans from the UdeC. “It offers us a state-of-the-art platform to be able to carry out Antarctic and subantarctic research with all the comforts and with all the technology that is required. There is still a lot to be learned about the bottom of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica and the rest of the world, so it is still a pending task for scientists,” added Dr. Ulloa.
Likewise, the academic from the Department of Zoology and principal investigator of the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Dr. Angie Díaz Lorca, highlighted the uniqueness of the ship, which she described as “a dream” given its multiple features.
“It is a platform designed specifically for science, something I had never seen. It opens many doors and possibilities to generate new knowledge and strengthen our position as an institution and as a country in Antarctic research,” said the UdeC researcher.
The delegation's visit took place on July 19.
Credit: Noticias UdeC. Photographs by Esteban Paredes Drake, Dircom UdeC.
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